Molecular clouds outside the solar circle in the first quadrant of our Galaxy

We report the detection of extensive low-level CO emission from molecular clouds well outside the solar circle, in the longitude range 55/sup 0/--95/sup 0/. Three strips, at b = 1.3, 1.5, and 1.7, were mapped at intervals of 0.1 in l, covering the LSR velocity range of -10 to -135 km s/sup -1/. Maps from the 1.5 strip are presented here. Armlike concentrations are evident, including an extension of the Perseus arm into the first quadrant and a well-defined arm 15 kpc from the galactic center. It is estimated that the amount of molecular material in the outer Galaxy could be comparable to that in the ''molecular ring'' though spread out over a larger area. Detailed maps of five regions show cloud complexes 60--80 pc long, containing one or more localized CO peaks.